Mahmoud Abbas, chairman of the Executive Committee of the Palestine
Liberation Organization (PLO), has reached an agreement with factions on ending
chaos in the territories as soon as possible, well informed sources said
Thursday.

The sources said that Abbas called on the factions and security apparatuses
to cooperate in a bid to end the anarchy and the spread of illegal arms in the
Gaza Strip and the West Bank.

A statement issued by the PLO Executive Committee said that during meetings
between Abbas and the factions, Abbas stressed the need to cooperate to end the
security deterioration.

"This cooperation would achieve security for residents and help enforce law,
justice and discipline," the statement said.

It said that the factions' leaders, including those from the radical movement
Hamas and the Islamic Jihad (Holy War), had positively responded to the call for
cooperation, adding that Abbas had gained the groups' commitment to keeping
unity and restoring calmness.

"Abbas had a clear commitment to setting up democratic Palestinian
institutions and condemning all kinds of internal fighting and the deterioration
of security and the spread of guns," it said.

Sami Abu Zuhri, a Hamas spokesman, said that the group's leaders had informed
Abbas that they were ready to cooperate, but the group refused to stop armed
attacks against Israel.

"The armed resistance is pure and only targets the Israeli occupation, and
what needs to be controlled are the arms that lead to chaos, internal fighting
and troubles," said Abu Zuhri.